The Father (2020 film)

The Father
UK theatrical release poster
Directed byFlorian Zeller
Screenplay by
Based onLe Père
by Florian Zeller
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyBen Smithard
Edited byYorgos Lamprinos
Music byLudovico Einaudi
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release dates
  • 27 January 2020 (2020-01-27) (Sundance)
  • 26 May 2021 (2021-05-26) (France)
  • 11 June 2021 (2021-06-11) (United Kingdom)
Running time
97 minutes[2]
Countries
  • France
  • United Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$6 million[3]
Box office$24 million[1][4]

The Father is a 2020 psychological drama film, directed by Florian Zeller in his directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with fellow playwright Christopher Hampton on the basis of Zeller's 2012 play Le Père. A French–British co-production, the film stars Anthony Hopkins as an octogenarian Welsh man living with dementia. Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss, Imogen Poots, Rufus Sewell, and Olivia Williams also star.

The Father premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 27 January 2020. After its wide release was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it was released in France on 26 May 2021 and in the UK on 11 June 2021. The film grossed $24 million worldwide on a $6 million budget and was acclaimed by critics, who lauded the performances of Hopkins and Colman, as well as the production values and the portrayal of dementia. At the 93rd Academy Awards, The Father received six nominations, including Best Picture; Hopkins won Best Actor and Zeller and Hampton won Best Adapted Screenplay. Since then, it has been cited as one of the best films of the 2020s and the 21st century.[5][6][7]

  1. ^ a b "The Father (2021)". The Numbers. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  2. ^ "The Father". Sundance Film Festival. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  3. ^ Kohn, Eric (26 February 2021). "How 'The Father' Production Designer Peter Francis Created the Most Disoriented Set of the Year". IndieWire. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  4. ^ "The Father (2021)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
  5. ^ Hughes, Mark. "The Top 150 Greatest Films Of The 21st Century". Forbes. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  6. ^ "The 100 best films of the 21st century (So far)". 6 February 2022.
  7. ^ ""Don't be so eager to be offended." the 20 Best Drama Movies of the 2020s So Far, Ranked". Collider. 24 August 2023.